Mariejois' port was bustling with activity as several Marine warships slowly made their way to berth. Cudius, however, wasn't in any rush to disembark. Instead, he sat back, leisurely flipping through a neer with a smirk on his face.

  The headlines grabbed his attention. "Navy Headquarters Kills the Infamous Pirate John and Engages in Battle with Golden Lion Shiki in the New World." Cudius chuckled to himself and said, "Well, that's one way to get people's attention."

  Standing nearby Nia smiled. "Yhness's identity has also beeioned in the news, but fortunately, Sengoku and the others know how to keep things under trol. They didn't publish your photo."

  Even though the news of Cudius reading, it seemed the Marines had made sure to keep his face out of the papers. Nia, ever loyal, was relieved to see her master's name gaining fame without promising his security.

  Stussy, who stood oher side, spoke up. "I know Mans, the bird-man who runs the World Ey Neer. He's just retly e into tact with the Wover. Without approval, he wouldn't have dared to print anything about yhness."

  The World Ey Neer, owned by the ambitious bird-man Mans, had been around for a while, but it never used to be a major pyer in the media ndscape. However, once Maablished ties with the Wover, his paper started getting first access to some of the most crucial stories, and its influence greidly. Mans knew where his bread was buttered and was quick to keep certain things quiet when necessary, all in the name of maintaining his newfound gover es.

  "I must admit," Cudius said thoughtfully, "he's done a remarkable job turning that paper around in just two years. It's oh to dominating the neer industry."

  In the years to e, Cudius knew Mans would develop the World Ey Neer into a global powerhouse, wielding influehat could secretly sway world events. Mans wasn't just a newsman—he was a kingmaker, pushing stories that could alter the bance of power, as he did with Luffy's rise as the "Fifth Emperor," which was, in fact, rgely due tans hyping him up.

  Of course, Cudius also uood that while Mans was useful to the Wover now, there might e a time when his influence grew too dangerous. But for now, Mans was just a pawn in a much rger game. "I'll deal with him wheime es," Cudius mused to himself. "o rush."

  For now, Mans had pyed up Cudius' role in John's death, even exaggerating the i with Shiki. He made sure everyone knew Shiki was injured by Cudius, and the paper even cimed the scar on Shiki's face would be a sting reminder of his defeat.

  Thanks tans' embellishment, Cudius' name was starting to spread across the world.

  Meanwhile, high in the skies above the New World, Shiki himself was fuming as he read the neer. His forehead veins bulged in fury. "Damn it! That brat was Celestial Dragons?!" Shiki growled, crushing the paper in his hands. "Sengoku called him 'Yhness,' but how did a Celestial Dragon mao injure me?!"

  Shiki's fingers brushed against the scar on his cheek. It would leave a perma mark a reminder of the day he was humiliated by a so-called "trash" Celestial Dragon. The thought that his reputation had been tarnished, not by a top Mari by someone from the pampered css of Celestial Dragons, made him boil with rage.

  "Donquixote Cudius," Shiki hissed, his voice filled with venom. "You'd better pray we never cross paths again. Your royal status won't save you from me ime."

  While Shiki stewed in his anger, elsewhere iy of Water, the Pirate King himself, Gol D. Roger, was ughing uproariously as he read the same headline.

  "Ahahaha! Shiki, of all people, got himself hurt by a Celestial Dragon?!" Roger's ughter echoed through the room. "I didn't see that one ing."

  "Now that name sounds familiar," Roger tinued, still chug. "Donquixote Cudius…where have I heard it before?"

  Rayleigh, sitting nearby, gnced up and smirked. "Of course it sounds familiar. We ran into him on Sabaody Archipego about five years ago, remember?"

  Reition dawned er's face. "That's right! He was that iiial Dragon kid. I even thought about inviting him to join us back then!"

  "Haha, you really should have, Captain," said Scaban, joining the versation. "Imagihe look on Shiki's face if we had!"

  Roger thought about it for a moment, then grinned. "Yeah, I should've tied him up and brought him along. He definitely had potential."

  Rayleigh leaned back, taking a sip from his drink. "He was a strange one, alright. I could tell back then that he wasn't like the other Celestial Dragons. And now, five years ter, he's mao ihe Golden Lion. This era is really starting to heat up."

  Roger's eyes gleamed with excitement. "That's why we 't waste any more time! The Oro Ja will be ready soon, and when it is, we'll quer this sea ond for all! Hahaha!"

  Ba the New World, aboard a massive ship resembling a white whale, the infamous Whitebeard, Edward e, was also reading the headlines.

  "Shiki got himself in trouble again, eh?" Whitebeard said with a wide grin, tossing the neer aside.

  His young crew member, Marco, raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe for a sed that Shiki was injured by a Celestial Dragon. No way. This is probably just the Wover adding a little fir to make themselves look good."

  Diamond Jozu nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the idea of a Celestial Dragon fighting is hard to swallow."

  Whitebeard wasn't too ed. "It doesn't matter who did it. The important thing is Shiki took a hit. He's beeing too cocky tely, taking down Ochoku and John. I wouldn't be surprised if I was on his list."

  Marco's eyes lit up. "Then why not strike first, Pops? We could take him out and be doh it."

  Whitebeard waved a dismissive hand. "Nah, I'm not ied in ruling the seas like Shiki or the others. Let him e if he wants a fight. I'll sink him if he does, but until then, I'm not going looking for trouble."

  Unlike Shiki, Big Mom, or Kaido, Whitebeard had no ambition to rule the seas. He simply wao live freely and protect his "sons." But even though he wasn't chasing the throne, his fiden his own power was unshakable.

  As Whitebeard dismissed the idea of hunting Shiki, many of the other powerful pirates across the world who read the news had simir reas. They either scoffed at the idea of a Celestial Dragon being a threat or dismissed it as gover propaganda.

  Back at Mariejois, Sengoku was leading Cudius off the warship, making their way through the port. As they walked, Sengoku turo Cudius and said, "The Five Elders have summoned you as well. They want to meet you."

  Cudius raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Me? They want to meet me?"

  Sengoku nodded. "Yes. They were quite clear about it. I believe it's reted to your... ret activities."

  Cudius smirked, "So, the lowest of the Celestial Dragons is being called to meet the highest? Must be because of all the noise we caused with Shiki."

  "Indeed," Sengoku said with a smile. "You've caught their attention. Frankly, I'd be ied iing you too, if I were them."

  Sengoku khe Five Elders well enough to uand their curiosity. Most Celestial Dragons were tent to live off their status, but Cudius was different. He had shown potential something rare among the so-called "gods."

  Five Elders likely saw in Cudius an opportunity a way to reshape the world's perception of Celestial Dragons, to show that not all of them were entitled, zy, or corrupt. Cudius could bee the "face" of a new kind of Celestial Dragon one who was capable, petent, and strong.

  And that, Sengoku thought, portunity the Five Elders would not want to miss.